80% of Taguig pets are now rabies-free

Got bitten by a dog in Taguig? Never fret. Chances are, the animal is rabies-free.

More than 80 percent of the total population of dogs and cats in the city has been vaccinated against rabies, three (3) months into the launch of the Taguig City Anti-Rabies Drive (TCARD) in March 2017.

TCARD involves house-to-house visits of veterinarians all throughout the city with the aim of vaccinating pets.

Under the program, the local government has so far provided free anti-rabies vaccination shots to 15,712 cats and 50,373 dogs, or a total number of 66,499 animals in all of the city’s 28 barangays.

According to Taguig City Veterinary Office officer-in-charge Dr. Alexis Siblag, 70 percent of the total population must be given the vaccine shots in order to control rabies.

“We are extremely happy that the recent report shows that we have exceeded our goal and have vaccinated 80% of the total population in such a short period of time,” Taguig City Mayor Lani Cayetano said.

Dr. Siblag said a human could also be afflicted with rabies through the bite of an infected mammal. Ninety eight (98) percent of human transmissions, however, are caused by dogs.

The Taguig City Health Office currently has five Animal Bite Treatment Centers (ABTC) in Brgy. Ibayo-Tipas, Brgy. Old Lower Bicutan, Brgy. Pinagsama, Brgy. Upper Bicutan, and Brgy. North Signal which are open to provide Taguigeños bitten by rabies-exposed animals with free treatment and vaccination.

Rabies exposure is classified into three (3) categories: the first category involves touching, feeding, licking of healthy skin with no mucous membrane contact, casual contact with rabid patient; the second category involves superficial scratch/abrasion on the person without bleeding, nibbling/nipping of uncovered skin with bruising; and the last category involves a single or multiple transdermal bites/scratches, licking of mucous membrane, all head and neck exposures, exposure to rabid patient, handling of infected remains of an animal, and licks of broken skin.

All are subject to different levels of treatment provided for free in the five existing animal bite centers.

Aside from the free vaccination shots under TCARD, the Taguig City Veterinary Office is offering free spaying and neutering for dogs and cats as a population control measure.

The Veterinary Office also recently launched an adopt-a-dog program which allows residents to adopt and provide a home for rescued dogs currently housed at the Taguig City pound. ###